Flashback: The 1997 Super League Champs

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As we celebrate the premiership-winning feats of the 1997 and 1998 Broncos teams by wearing a special heritage jersey against the Eels on Friday night, we look back at the champion 1997 Super League team's triumphant win. To view the 2014 Heritage Jersey, click here.

1997 SUPER LEAGUE GRAND FINAL MATCH REPORT

The 1997 Super League Grand Final will be remembered for more than just another Broncos’ grand final victory – the first of three they would win in four seasons.

It was also the culmination of a big year for the Broncos who had been one of the flagships of the Super League competition that had separated away from the Australian Rugby League at the end of the 1996 season.

The grand final would be the first night rugby league grand final played, and the 58,912 attendance was the biggest crowd for a grand final since 65,959 attended the drawn 1977 NSWRFL Grand Final.

It was also the largest to any sporting event in Brisbane since the 1982 Commonwealth Games, which was held at the same venue.

The Broncos’ outfit featured young up-and-coming stars in Darren Lockyer, Gorden Tallis and Shane Webcke as well as established stars Allan Langer and Kevin Walters, and they simply overwhelmed the Cronulla Sharks.

However they didn’t get it all their own way, with the Sharks closing to 10-8 just after halftime.

Lockyer kicked a penalty in the eighth minute, but 14 minutes later Mat Rogers equalised with another penalty. Three minutes later Lockyer slotted another penalty, making the score 4-2 in favour of the home side.

With just under seven minutes of the first half remaining, Langer put a bomb up which a leaping Rogers failed to secure. Steve Renouf picked up the ball and dived over for the first try of the match.

Lockyer's conversion put the Broncos in front 10-2, a lead they took till half-time.

The Sharks hit back four minutes of the second half when Wendell Sailor, returning the ball from a kick deep into his side's territory, passed the ball to nobody.

It was chipped ahead by a Cronulla chaser and dived on by Russell Richardson.

Rogers converted the try to bring the deficit back to two points, but the Broncos steadied from there.

In the 55th minute the Broncos moved the ball left for Renouf to score his second try of the match. Lockyer banged the conversion from the sideline to make it 16-8.

Ten minutes later Renouf scored again, becoming only the third player in history to score a hat-trick in a grand final.

Lockyer missed the conversion but the Broncos were on the edge of glory at 20 - 8 with 14 minutes remaining.

Lockyer attempted a field goal in the 78thminute that was charged down.

But the Broncos regathered and one tackle later it was put through the hands to the right wing, for replacement Michael Hancock to score the final try of the game.

Lockyer converted to make it 26-8 at fulltime and the Broncos were the Super League champions.

It was a mantle they would hold for history as the Super League and Australian Rugby League merged to form the first National Rugby League competition for the 1998 season.